“Then I’ll teach you to associate my touch, pleasureandpain, with safety. When I touch you, I don’t want you to hold anything back.”
Cessie’s breath trembled as she exhaled. She could already feel the edges of it closing in around her—the tight, careful frame he was building. No force. No pain.
Trust. Surrender.
“This isn’t about punishment,” he said. “It isn’t really about control. It’s about showing you, teaching you, to come to me when the world is too much.”
She was tired of feeling like she was about to cry, but those words brought tears to the surface, until they stung her eyes and made her throat tight.
“You’ve been carrying everything on your own for too long, baby.”
Cessie pressed her hands tighter in her lap, trying not to react and let the tears fall.
“You’ll eat when I feed you. You’ll listen for my voice. You’ll know my hand when it finds you.”
He rose, circling around behind her. She stiffened but only for a moment as his hand rested on her shoulder.
“You’ll submit to me, more deeply than you ever have before.” His hand slid from her shoulder to the side of her neck, thumb brushing against her pulse before his fingers curled around her throat, gripping lightly.
Cessie tipped her face up, giving him inferred access to her throat even as her eyes slid closed.
“When you need it, I’ll punish you.” His other hand skimmed down her chest, palm grazing on a hard nipple. Even with the muting presence of her dress the touch made her jump and moan as her pussy pulsed. “And pleasure you. I’m still going to use you as a sub, but with added elements.”
“Thank you, Master.”
“Keep your eyes closed and open your mouth.”
She jerked back when something touched her lower lip. Logically she knew it would be food, but not knowingwhichfood made her antsy, and she almost spit it out because for a moment she couldn’t identify the flavor.
Bell pepper. It was a piece of the red bell pepper she’d cut up.
“Was that hard?” For the first time, he sounded hesitant.
“I know it shouldn’t have been, I just didn’t know?—”
“Cessie, stop. Stop worrying about what I’m feeling or thinking and be honest. Trust me with the truth.”
“But it’s stupid. I logically knew you were going to feed me something, but not knowing exactly what makes me feel…”
“What?” he asked when she didn’t answer.
“It makes me feel out of control.”
Wood scraped as he pulled his chair around. She squeezed her eyes closed because the temptation to open them was too great.
“Baby, look at me.” Amusement laced his voice.
Her tension melted, and she opened one eye. Leon was grinning at her.
“Did you seriously just tell me that you didn’t like that because it made you feel out of control?”
“Er… yes.”
“Should I be worried that you aren’t into D/s, the power exchange, anymore?” His tone made it clear that he wasn’t actually worried.
“No. I’m pretty sure my therapist would say that my anxiety makes it hard for me to handle situations that are a complete unknown. I’m good in a crisis because I’ve already imagined the bad things happening and made a plan for how to deal with them.”
“Is this a bad thing?” he asked gently.
